Alcoholism Help - With Or Without AA

There's More To Alcoholism Help Than AA

There is an assumption, held by many in the medical profession, that if you want help for alcoholism, your only hope is to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and if you want to stop drinking for good, then AA has to become (and this is no exaggeration) your second home.

Fortunately, this is just plain wrong.

Firstly, Alcoholics Anonymous has an appalling success rate [1] and, secondly, there are many other ways to quit drinking without turning to the 12 steps.

Unfortunately, the power to choose your preferred alcoholism treatment is seriously restricted. Restricted not because of a lack of alternatives to AA, but because information about other treatment options is lost in the noise of the 12 steps.

It has been shown that alcoholics who have an active and informed choice [2] in their alcoholism treatment, are much more successful in their recovery.

This
site is an attempt to address this lack of choice by outlining all the
options (and that includes the 12 step method) open to alcoholics and
problem drinkers who wish to access alcoholism help.

Why are AA alternatives rarely heard of? Is it because they don't work?

There are many reasons as to why the programs/drugs above are little-known, but it is mainly because AA and its 12-step method was the first systematic program to treat alcohol dependency; a condition that had proved resistant to much the medical world could throw at it. On top of this it seemed successful, there were many stories of how AA had turned individual's lives around.

In reality, however, it is not that successful. Statistics are hard to come by due to the anonymity principle of the group. AA's own figures, however, show that only 5% still attend meetings after one year [3]. This kind of success rate would be unacceptable in any other branch of medicine/therapy, yet AA seems to go from strength to strength.

Another major issue with AA is that many feel alienated by the spiritual aspect of the program. It can be hard to balance the higher power, so important for recovery in AA with the secular world most live in.

These 'unfortunates' as they are charitably called in the AA literature [4], are destined (according to AA and many working in the addiction field) to a life of depression, despondency and, ultimately, death. The only way out is AA.

Untrue.

There are alternatives to AA, and good ones too. Many are statistically much more successful [5]. Do not despair if you or a loved one is alcohol dependent. There is alcoholism help and it doesn't have to be Alcoholics Anonymous.

Alcoholics Anonymous does work for some people and that must be acknowledged. One of its main strengths is its accessibility, there's a meeting in almost every town. Another thing, AA got me sober, and for that I am grateful. But I moved on; it's not the long term solution for me and it doesn't have to be for you either.

For those worried about a loved one...

This site is not just for those suffering with an alcohol problem, if someone you care about has a drinking issue and you think they need alcoholism help then then take a look at some of these pages...

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Site Info.

Deborah Morrow, M.S. Addiction Psychology, is the director of treatment programs for The Alcoholism Guide website. In her practice, Deborah provides on-line coaching and support for those dependent on alcohol or who require other services such as relapse prevention or court mandated services. (Read More)